matatabi no akira Catmint Chapter
by galaxygraber
Summary: Set in "Fire and Ice". Read Author's note for explanation on this story. Suspicion darkens every cat's mind when a thunderclan apprentice is brutally murdered. Can Fireheart figure out who the killer is before it's too late?
1. Author's Note

This is a large set of mysteries that take place in the Warriors world.

Each story will have no relation to the others.

Most, if not all of the mysteries will be about murder.

Each "arc" will have clues to who the murderer is.

This is NOT a rip off of higurashi no naku koro ni. There are NO repeating worlds, just different possible outcomes.

The reader, that would be you, helps decide the ending of the arc. You may post your comments/feedback in an attempt to solve the mystery. Whoever successfully solves it before everything is revealed will be praised on the last chapter.

The endings will be decided on whether the readers solved the mystery before the end or not. For example, if someone figures out who the murderer is, and show the evidence to prove it, the story will achieve a "Good" Ending. If no one cracks the case then the story achieves a "Bad" Ending. So pay attention to detail.

The titles are in Japanese sounding-words. Like ひぐらしのなく頃に to higurashi no naku koro ni. It will show up like this in the title: higurashi no naku koro ni (When the cicadas cry)

Enjoy trying to solve the mysteries!


	2. Chapter 1: Peaceful days

It was another sunny day in the Thunderclan camp. The fresh-kill... I mean birds are singing happily in the green-leaf sunlight. Fireheart was snoozing in the warriors den when a paw prodded him awake.

"Wuzzat?" Fireheart jolted upright, making the cat waking him mew in surprise. He turned his head to see Cinderpaw staring at him.

"Tigerclaw told me to wake you. He says if you laze around for any longer, he'll come in here and drag you out by your tail himself." Cinderpaw mused. "I figured I'd do it since you probably wouldn't be too happy if he did that." Cinderpaw purred.

"Oh! Thanks Cinderpaw." Fireheart meowed as he stretched. Hopping out after her, Fireheart greeted the sunlight with a short purr.

"I was wondering when you were planning on coming out." Tigerclaw growled from in front of the fiery tom.

"Sorry Tigerclaw, I was having this wonderful dream and-"

"I don't care! Share it with the elders!" Tigerclaw interrupted with a hiss.

"Maybe I will..." Fireheart muttered underneath his breath. Fireheart sighed, things couldn't be more peaceful. Fresh-kill is plentiful, and so are the kits. _Well, it won't last for long. Sooner or later some mouse-brain will ruin it. _Fireheart scowled.

"What's wrong Fireheart?" Cinderpaw mewed in confusion. "You look like you think some mouse-brain is going to ruin this peaceful time." Fireheart looked at Cinderpaw. Sometimes she could always guess exactly what he was thinking. Without thinking, Fireheart leaned over and licked his former apprentice between the ears.

"And who says I'm thinking that?" Fireheart mewed.

"Um... were you not listening at all?" Cinderpaw asked. The two cats smiled in amusement. _Oh yes, these happy days won't last for long._ Fireheart thought. But little did he know, these happy days would end sooner then he would think possible.

_Preview:_

_The body of a cat hang lifelessly from the tree. Fireheart stared in pure horror at the scene. A Thunderclan apprentice was dangling from the branch of a tree, blood dripping from its claws. Gashes and scratch marks where visible all over its body, the eyes were torn out, leaving nothing but empty eye sockets. Catmint was stuffed in its mouth. Claws were missing and an ear was torn off. The body was hung by its hind leg, its own claws dug into its hind leg and into the tree, holding it there. The cat was unmistakably Cinderpaw. _


	3. Chapter 2: Murder

**Author's note: I forgot to mention this in the first chapter, but I appreciate all the support when I haven't even started writing the story. I hope all of you will enjoy my story as much as I enjoy writing it.**

"Hey! Fireheart!" Cinderpaw called out to him. He could barely respond due to the big rabbit in his mouth

"Frut iz it Cimberclaw?" Fireheart asked.

"Heh... you called me Cimberclaw!" Cinderpaw laughed. "I'm going out to collect herbs! Can you come?" She asked him, curious to see how he would answer.

"Sorry!" He mewed, putting the rabbit down. "I have to attend a patrol pretty quick here!" Cinderpaw let her tail droop in disappointment. "Why don't you have Yellowfang go with you?" He asked.

"She went to ask Runningnose for some Poppy seeds, since we're out and can't find anymore." She explained. "Oh well. I'll be fine on my own." Cinderpaw tried to sound cheerful.

"Okay, be careful." He mewed as he nuzzled Cinderpaw.

***

Fireheart returned from the patrol, wariness dragging at his paws. Tigerclaw had commented on how fat the Riverclan warriors were, resulting in a border skirmish. Silly Tigerclaw. Fireheart went off to his den and settled down to sleep. He awoke at a much later time, and stretched as he watched the glittering stars. A cat called out to him softly, and he turned to see Yellowfang.

"Good evening, Fireheart. Have you seen Cinderpaw?" Yellowfang asked.

"No... Could she still be out collecting herbs?" He suggested.

"It shouldn't take this long..." Yellowfang muttered

"I'm sure she's fine!"

***

Sun-high the next sunrise Fireheart was not so sure things were ok. Bluestar had sent out search parties but no one could find her. Finally, Fireheart went out looking with Frostfur. Just as they were about to give up, Frostfur screamed. Fireheart looked up to where she was staring. The body of a cat hang lifelessly from a tree. Fireheart stared in pure horror at the scene. A Thunderclan apprentice was dangling from the branch of a tree, blood dripping from its claws. Gashes and scratch marks where visible all over its body, the eyes were torn out, leaving nothing but empty eye sockets. Catmint was stuffed in its mouth. Claws were missing and an ear was torn off. The body was hung by its hind leg, its own claws dug into its hind leg and into the tree, holding it there. The cat was unmistakably Cinderpaw.

_**Preview:**_

_Why? Why was Cinderpaw murdered? I swear that I will find whoever did this! Just when I was finding love again, just when my heart was almost mended, Starclan had to take it all away again! I WILL KILL WHOEVER DID THIS! Fireheart swore in his head._


	4. Chapter 3: Discovery

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for making you guys wait for two years! I honestly lost interest in writing the story, and as such was busy with other things. I hope some of my original readers are still here. Before I continue the story, let me make it clear; Tigerclaw did not murder Cinderpaw, I would not make such an obvious character the murderer. Remember to read carefully, as things are not always as they seem.**

Fireheart stood staring at Cinderpaw's now lifeless corpse. He backed away slowly, his mouth open in shock. Beside him, Frostfur was sobbing hysterically.

"I... I... Oh..." Fireheart mumbled, before running as fast as his legs would carry him. Back in the camp, Fireheart collapsed into a sobbing, broken mess. Cats from all over the camp immediately hurried over to see what was wrong. Bluestar approached Fireheart and sat down beside him.

"Fireheart, what in Starclan is the matter?" Bluestar asked, her eyes betraying her worry.

Fireheart looked up, and between sobs said, "It's... It's... Cinderpaw..." and as he murmured her name, he pictured her hanging from the tree, bloody and torn apart. This sent him into hysterics, and with a worried sigh, Bluestar ordered a patrol to look around.

"Yellowfang! Come tend to Fireheart while we look around!" Bluestar ordered. Yellowfang hurried over and started whispering to Fireheart. Bluestar rose to her paws and strode off with the patrol.

"Fireheart, you need to tell me what you saw! I need to know what happened to my apprentice!" Yellowfang whispered urgently.

"She's...Dead." Fireheart finally murmured. "SHE'S DEAD!" Fireheart screamed to the sky, sobbing.

"What?" Yellowfang breathed. Yellowfang had expected this though, seeing how badly Fireheart was reacting.

Other cats starting yowling disbelief and sorrow.

* * *

Bluestar stared at the scene in front of her. There was Cinderpaw, bloody and very much dead. Frostfur was lying there, screeching into the ground. _Who would do such a horrible thing?_ Bluestar pondered.

"Dustpelt, you and Darkstripe get Cinderpaw down from there." Bluestar ordered. After a little bit of time passed, Cinderpaw was down and being dragged back to camp. Every cat looked uncomfortable, and Frostfur was sobbing while she helped carry Cinderpaw.

"My kit my kit my kit my kit my kit..." Frostfur murmured over and over again.

"Rest assured Frostfur, we will find out who did this, and they will pay." Bluestar promised to Frostfur, who simply nodded dully in reply.

* * *

Fireheart had finally calmed down a bit, and was staring at the ground when Bluestar's patrol brought Cinderpaw back into the camp. Yowls of horror and mourning followed them. They put Cinderpaw in the middle of the camp, where cats could openly mourn her.

Fireheart walked slowly over and burried his nose in her fur. Breathing in through his nose, he suddenly sneezed and opened his eyes. A wad of fur was laying on Cinderpaw's body. It was grey, although something about it was off, however Fireheart couldn't quite decide what it was.

That night, he stayed up to attend a vigil. His thoughts were wondering to the fur on Cinderpaw. _Was it the murderer? _Fireheart puzzled. He felt his anger rising. _Why? Why was Cinderpaw murdered? I swear that I will find whoever did this! Just when I was finding love again, just when my heart was almost mended, Starclan had to take it all away again! I WILL KILL WHOEVER DID THIS! _Fireheart swore in his head.

* * *

_Preview:_

_"Yellowfang! Explain yourself! Why was your fur on Cinderpaw?" Fireheart held a claw to Yellowfangs throat. "Are you the one who killed Cinderpaw?"_


End file.
